Kareokee Confessions
by StrawberryStetson
Summary: A little too much Ferengi brandy and there's no telling what the good doctor has to tell her captain, but stopping a drunk may require a trip to the brig. PicardCrusher


"Ten Forward to the bridge"

"Yes Guinan"

"Captain I think you need to get down here, it's Beverly Crusher."

"On my way"

He entered Ten-Forward. Beverly was sitting at the table with Deanna Troi. A glass overturned next to her arm. She was a bit dazed.

"Heya Cappin Johnny!"

Deanna stood up "Captain can I speak with you?"

"Yes all right. Guinan can you sit with her till I return?"

"As you wish"

They walked over to the bar.

"She has been here for 3 hours. Apparently she was this way when she got here."

"Any idea what started this?"

"She has been this way since we left the Ba'ku. She keeps talking about you and Anij. I feel a great sense of sadness from her."

"Nothing happened between Anij and I, after we spent time together I realized that Anij and I were just friends."

"Still she is overcome with emotion and needs to be talked to."

"Well I obviously can't right now, I am going to have to put her in the brig for the night."

He turned to look at her. She was gone. Scanning the room he found her talking to Rovock, a Trill musician who did kareokee for Guinan on Friday nights. Before he could stop her, Beverly was on the small stage with the microphone. She looked very angry.

When she spoke, it was not that of a drunk person. Not sure what to do he and Deanna sat down.

"This is going out to a man in the audience. Rovock found the perfect song and I am here to sing it to you tonight. Go ahead."

He nodded and the music began to play.

What's it gonna be

Cause I can't pretend

Dontcha wanna be more than friends

Then hold me tight and don't let go

Don't let go, have the right to lose control

Don't let go

He was in awe, Could she really be doing this? He looked at Deanna who looked just as shocked.

I often tell myself that we could be

More than just friends

I know you think that if we move too soon

It would all end

I live in misery when you're not around

And I won't be satisfied

Till we're takin those vows

The background singers began to sing the next lines. Beverly's eyes were dead set on his. He had never seen that kind of anger there before. The song lyrics were clear as day, but it made him angry as well. She of all people knew what it meant for his private life to be exposed. He began to rise from the table.

Quick thinking told Deanna, he was headed after her. She promptly grabbed the tail of his shirt and pulled him back into his seat.

"Let her finish. This might be good therapy for her."

"Good therapy is for her to quit using her wiles up there to make a scene!"

"No one is even paying attention to you. Just calm down."

I often fantasize

The stars above are watching you

They know my heart and speak to yours

Like only lovers do

If I could wear your clothes

I'd pretend I was you and lose control

The background singers began again

There'll be some lovemaking, heartbreaking, soul shaking

Oh, lovemaking, heartbreaking, soul shaking

Oh to hell with it! He was not going to do this anymore! Despite Deanna's protests he walked over to the stage. Grabbing the microphone from her hand, he ordered her to get off the stage.

"No John-Luc I am not lisserning to you, you love Aneez not me. Go away I-I am singin my sung."

"The hell you are!"

He picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. She began to punch him in the back and fight him. The situation was almost laughable if he hadn't been furious with her. He could hear the music in his ears as he walked from Ten-Forward.

If Beverly thought he would put her down outside, she was sadly mistaken. He carried her all the way to the brig.

She kept saying things like

"Put me down"

"I'll quit!"

"I am Cheeve metical ovvizer, you can't do this!"

He spoke not a word as he carried her, surprising several ensigns and a puzzled Worf.

"Picard to Riker"

"Yes Captain"

"I am putting Doctor Crusher in the brig for the night. Send Data to her quarters. I want to know what the hell she's been drinking."

After years of serving under Picard, Riker knew better than to question his orders regardless of how strange they were.

"Yes Sir"

Jean-Luc placed Beverly on the cot in the brig. Then he activated the forcefield after he was outside.

"I will be back in a moment, stay still."

Before she could protest he was out the doors. He joined Data in Beverly's quarters.

"Data have you found anything that would intoxicate the Doctor?"

"Indeed I have sir, I found 2 liter bottle of Ferengi Brandy, 98 proof."

"Ah dump the rest out and give me the bottle, I will question her about it in the morning."

"There is no Brandy left, I believe she has consumed all of it."

He sat on the couch and put his head in his hands. Beverly never could hold her liquor. Once when Jack had taken her to a celeration for his pilot's club she had drank too much out of the punch bowl. Someone had spiked it with vodka and Beverly had passed out after throwing up in the Pilot's Head Trophy.

He got up and went to her chest of drawers looking for a change of clothes. In the drawer was a picture of her and himself, the glass was shattered. He felt a little lonely looking at the broken images he held. He quickly finished gathering her clothes.

When he opened her underwear drawer he blushed slightly when he came across a black lace pair. Deciding not to press his luck he decided on a pair of blue cotton. Moments later he sent Data back to the bridge and headed toward the security deck.

Jean-Luc had half expected her to be pacing, but he walked in to find her passed out, half lying on the cot and half off. There was vomit all down her uniform. He rolled his eyes and let down the force field. He tried to sit her up but she was almost out cold. Deciding he needed to get her out of the uniform, he decided to chance her being mad at him. He slowly removed her jacket, then her pants.

"You think you are tough but you're not. I jus wanted you to love me. Why you have to love that lady anyway?"

There was no need in talking to her like this, but he knew conversation would keep her calm.

"I don't love Anij Beverly (grunt) I love you."

"I know because I am the doctor. And you are the cappin and I don't like you anymore."

She wasn't talking sensibly but he didn't care. He finally had her stripped down to nothing. His cheeks were a little flushed at seeing her naked flesh. He felt a bit of arousal but cursed himself just as quickly. As fast as he could he had dressed.

"Jean-Luc I want you to love me, I don't want to sleep til you say you love me."

"Beverly, I love you, now go to sleep"

"Ok I sleep"

And just like that she was sound asleep. He got up and went to his quarters. He fell asleep thinking of her.

"Crusher to Picard, answer me please"

He was a little alarmed to hear her voice so clear. His clock said it was 0700.

"Picard here"

"Do you mind telling me why I am in the brig in my nightgown? What happened?"

"Ah Doctor we have much to discuss, I will be there in an hour. Picard out."

Yes this was going to be a long morning.

When he stepped into the room she was sitting on the cot rubbing her temples.

"I suppose you'll be wanting this hypospray to get rid of the hangover."

"Oh that would be wonderful."

"Well you don't get it until we talk about last nights events."

He sat in a chair and waited for her to look at him. She was squinting heavily.

"Computer dim lights by 25."

"Um thank you"

"Now you will answer my questions and if your answers are not satisfactory I will leave you here till we arrive at Starfleet. That is 2 weeks by Data's calculation. First, where did you get Ferengi Brandy?"

"It belonged to Jack, I've had it for years"

"And what made you not only open it but drink all of it?"

"I drank it all? Sorry I don't remember that. What happened?"

He told her the entire story up to the part about seeing her in the nude. But she could see by the look on his face that he had changed her clothes.

"I haven't been myself recently. Anij is a very sweet woman."

"Yes Beverly but I do not love her, and you know that I don't."

"I don't know anything anymore. I am sorry that I embarrassed you and caused you to be in an uncomfortable situation."

His raised his eyebrow. This was not going the way he wanted it to. Where was all that stored up emotion she had so freely given less then 12 hours ago? She seemed defeated, but he had an idea.

"Well your singing was wonderful and I nearly took you up on your offer."

"What offer?"

"To tie you up and make your body my playground."

"What? I said that? No wait I sang Don't Let Go by En Vogue. Where did you get those?"

She instantly covered her mouth. Knowing that she had just given everything away. His grin grew and he got up to pace.

"You were never really drunk were you? No, you were not. You faked this whole charade to get me to admit how I felt about you."

She blushed redder than her beautiful hair. Looking at her feet she said nothing.

"You gave a marvelous performance but something you did tipped me off. The song you sang was perfect, no slurred speech, and no stumbling to the stage either. Not the kind of behavior from someone who has just downed a 2 liter bottle of Ferengi brandy."

She finally allowed herself to look at him. Her eyes said that everything was true.

"Who else was in on this? Guinan? Deanna? Rovock?"

"Just Deanna"

"Uh-huh I will deal with her later. Right now I want to know why you came up with such an elaborate rouse?"

"When we left the Ba'ku, you talked about Anij for days. Deanna suggested I talk to you about it but everytime I attempted it you changed the subject. I was feeling that I had lost you altogether. Deanna came to my quarters and we were going through some of Jack's old things. When we came across the brandy, we created this scenario. At first it was just a joke, we never planned on going through with it. But at the Senior Officers meeting you began talking of the Ba'Ku and I knew I had to do it."

He had stopped pacing and stood in the center of the room, arms crossed.

"What I don't understand Jean-Luc, is if you knew I was just playing this game, why did you admit the way you felt? Surely you could have said anything. Or why didn't you confront me?"

"Because I guess in some way playing into this game made me believe you were intoxicated. I knew you were lying but I knew that no matter what I said you couldn't argue the point or it would mean giving away your game. I do love you Beverly but you push me away. Anij is just a friend. There is no one else I want more than you, not Anij, or Nella, or Vash or even Janice. I am in love with you. If you don't see that now, will you ever?"

"Open this forcefield" She said half crying.

The minute it was down she was in his arms, kissing him like she had never kissed anyone. Wanting more and more of him, like she making up for 25 years. When he caught his breath finally and they sat together in the brig he asked her a question.

"Beverly where did the vomit come from?"

She laughed, a new found spirit in her eyes.

"That was Will and Deanna's doing. Will told Deanna you were in my quarters. She rushed in and rubbed Worf's bloodpie on my chest. How he eats that I will never know, its looks more like vomit then vomit does."

"Why in the world would you do that?"

"Do you know of any other way to get into my pants? By the way, your face turns a nice shade of red at the sight of my skin."

He smiled and kissed her. Maybe spending the night in the brig would be well the punishment.

The End


End file.
